Safety: crime is relatively low in Turkey by Eastern European standards and often communities will look out for each other and solve crime-related problems if possible. Travellers are advised to take the usual precautions here and should not be overly concerned. Police coverage in rural areas is generally light given that Turkey is not densely populated and some areas are remote. The main threat is likely to be the roads and traffic. The Turkish can be wild behind the wheel so timid drivers may struggle, while pedestrians should aim to keep on the pavement as much as possible. For many though, this time of year is too hot as temperatures often get close to 40°C. April, May and September are slightly less hot yet still warm. Mountainous areas become cold and receive snowfall in winter, which may or may not be a reason to go at this time, depending on your itinerary. Money: the days when a meal would set tourists back tens of millions of Turkish lira are over. In 2003, the Turkish government chopped six zeros off the end of the value of the currency in a major re-evaluation of the lira that created the new lira, sub-divided into 100 new kurus. As a result, the lira is now worth a little less than the US dollar or roughly half an English pound. For most English-speakers, Turkish is an unfamiliar-sounding language that can be difficult to learn. In holiday resorts and big cities, many people speak English along with other prominent European languages, particularly German, so travellers should not have too many language problems. Emergency: 112
Police: 155
Coast security: 158 Business needs: when it comes to setting up a business and acquiring or leasing business premises, Turkey offers a business environment that is efficient and relatively low cost compared to the rest of Europe. On the downside, employing non-Turkish workers in the country is still a convoluted process; although, legislation is slowly moving in the right direction not least because of Turkey’s EU aspirations. In this regard Turkey looks to be a very promising prospect in terms of investment, property and trade: the country’s anticipated accession to the EU in the mid-term would open up huge opportunities and provide Europe with its best launch pad for improving economic ties with western Asia. Turkish infrastructure is slightly below Western European standards with good land lines, electricity and mobile phone coverage. Office and meeting facilities are very good, especially in Istanbul and Ankara. | 
